Do you wonder as I have, how do we pray for Ukraine and Russia? Who do we pray for? Will our prayers have an affect there? It’s all so far away. You and I both know: our God has promised to answer our prayers because He loves us. And we have seen the work of the Lord around the world, work for which we have prayed.
So, today I bring to you the need of Bible translators in both Ukraine and Russia. Also, the believers, church leaders, and pastors who are experiencing turmoil, danger, and the chaos of war.
Our lead translation partners, a husband and wife team, have a daughter who was alone in Kyiv while they were out of the country doing the work of Wycliffe Associates. They were separated, and after days of separation she was able to escape the country to join her mother. This is just one situation where families are torn apart.
Bible translation partners in Russia are aching over the situation with their brothers and sisters in Ukraine. Several other translation teams are wondering just how soon Russian aggression will affect them.
In one news article I read today it said that Ukraine’s chief rabbi invited Christian leaders to recite Psalm 31 together.
Let’s open our Bibles and use Psalm 31 to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ and our translation partners on the front lines, where bombs are destroying their communities.
- Lord, first we praise You. Thank You for rescuing the daughter of our lead Bible translation couple, helping her escape to a neighboring country and her mother, after having been separated at the start of the conflict. We ask that You continue to keep them from harm. And may they find a way to continue their New Testament translation for their people.
- For the sake of Your name, Lord, grant wisdom. Lead and guide believers and translation partners to safety, deliver them from the dangers all around.
- Lord, we ask that Your Spirit directs our prayers, for we trust You because we know Your love for every child of God, our brothers and sisters here and around the world.
- Oh, dear God, we ask that You remove Your people from the hands of the enemy and take them to a safe place where they can find rest.
- Lord, we ask that all who are now out of the country will know Your presence and love. Grant each one peace wherever they are. Lord provide the translation teams the ability to continue translating Your precious Word into their heart languages in spite of the upheavals of war around them.
- Lord, they love You and are faithful. We pray they will persevere and remain strong because their hope is in You.
- Oh, Jesus, we pray for those believers, pastors, brothers, and sisters who have chosen to stay and minister to the needy. We pray that money will be provided for them to give warm blankets, food, and even medicine to those who are in great need.
- And Lord, we ask that You heal those who have suffered trauma and hardship because of the great ongoing violence.
- Oh, God, we pray for a speedy end to this violence. We pray that You will guard borders and not allow this to spread to other nearby countries.
- Thank you, Lord Jesus, for hearing our prayer and thank you that Your spirit is working in the lives of all believers in dangerous places.
My friend, there is more in Psalm 31 that we can pray over. Let’s use David’s prayer—because he knew the dangers and hardships of war—in the upcoming days whenever we pray for Ukraine. And David found peace in the presence of God, his refuge.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 (NIV)
Let us remember as we pray, that Jesus told us that in Him we have peace—because He has overcome the world.
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